Life's too short for unrequited affections
by RandomDarkness
Summary: After watching Rachel kiss Captain Chandler on the Russian ship, Tex is a big enough man to admit he's lost... and small enough to hide out in his bunk and feel sorry for himself. (Rachel/Tex)


Tex lay on his back, his legs crossed at the ankles, and his eyes half closed. The magazine flopped open on his chest was at least 6 months old, and he'd read it a dozen times. With his skin feeling two sizes too small and his nose still full of the smell of sea water and blood, he wasn't interested in it enough to force his eyes all the way open just to re-read the article about pump action grenade launchers.

There was a tentative knock and he didn't even bother lifting his head. "C'm in." He called.

"Tex?" Rachel slipped in with a bottle of water in one hand and a bottle of lotion in the other. "I ah, I hadn't seen you for a few days."

"Yeah, well, you were busy with your monkeys... and I'm getting' squeezed inside my own skin." He scooted over when she gestured and made room for her to sit. "Normally I got the top bunk, but honest to God Doc I couldn't face climbin' up the ladder."

"It could have been a lot worse."

"Oh I'm well aware. Truth is, all things considered, we got off pretty light." He didn't complain when she took his hand and began to massage lotion into it gently. "Far be it from me to turn down your tender ministrations, but don't you have more important things to be workin' on?"

Rachel gave a small smile. "Let's say it needs to percolate for a little while." She finished with his hand and took the other one. "Why did you really stop coming to visit?"

"I think you know why. Don't get me wrong Doc, I'm all for a little healthy competition, but I'm not a masochist." He tilted his head so he could look up at her. "I was more than happy to keep dancin', darlin', but since we seem to have come to the end of the world here, life's too short for unrequited affections."

"You're hiding away in your room sulking, is that it?" She asked archly.

"I'd hardly say sulkin', Doc. Just know when I'm beat, that's all." He pulled his hand out of her grip gently and moved the magazine off his chest. "I'm a big boy Doc, you don't have to feel bad."

"About the... the kissing business... It didn't mean anything. The Captain is a married man, in case you forgot, and I did have to get the note to him somehow." She pointed out as she picked up the lotion bottle and gestured for him to open his shirt.

"Doc... what exactly is this? You're mixed signals are making me dizzy, I got heat stroke, you know?"

She sighed and fiddled with the bottle. "It had to be him, you know? If it'd been you... if I'd kissed you, you'd likely have swallowed the damn thing." She put the bottle down and finally me his eyes. "Please don't be upset with me Tex... I _**have**_ missed you."

Tex's eyebrow rose and he half rolled onto his side. "I don't really have much room to be coy here..." he said and his hand moved up slowly to slide around to the back of her neck. When she didn't move to bat him away he smiled. "I didn't think I was ever going to see you again, but I promised myself that if we got back..." he applied a little pressure to the back of her neck and pulled her down so he could kiss her.

Though his lips were baked and cracked, Rachel was surprised to find that the kiss felt soft and gentle. For some reason, she'd always assumed that when he finally kissed her, it would be more demanding and passionate. Instead his hand on her neck was huge and warm and his lips were coaxing and sweet. He still tasted of salt and his beard tickled. When he half sat up to put his other arm around her, Rachel felt him wince and put her hand in the middle of his chest and gently pushed him back down.

"You're not really in any condition to,"

"Doc, I would sit up to kiss you even if I was dead." He said with a grin and his eyes crinkled when she laughed at him. "You don't laugh enough Doc..."

"There hasn't been much to laugh about lately... perhaps I let myself get to the point where I thought it was wrong to laugh. It was wrong to be happy, even for a moment, while so many people were so sick." She watched as he took her hands and brought them to his lips. "You are... relentlessly optimistic, and sometimes I simply can't keep up."

"You saying I'm too much for you, Doc?"

"I'm saying, that if I appear to be distracted or, or distant," she leaned down and kissed his forehead gently. "It doesn't mean that I'm disinterested."

"Good to know, Doc." He breathed, his eyes on her lips.

"Now, sit up and I'll slather up the back of your neck." She leaned back while he complied and then looked at him speculatively. "If I ask you to take your shirt off are you going to be able to contain yourself?"

"You sure know how to proposition a man, but I'll try to keep it together."


End file.
